Make Me Smile
by E. Limberg
Summary: Mac and Stella travel to Cleveland in pursuit of a suspect and end up with an extra day there. They decide to spend it at Cedar Point, an amusement park. Someone, however, is afraid of roller coasters. Mac and Stella.


**Make Me Smile**

"_I've been awake for a while now_

_You've got me feeling like a child now_

'_Cause every time I see your bubbly face_

_I get the tingles in a silly place"_

"Case closed," the Cleveland detective says. "When do you guys go back to New York?"

"Day after tomorrow. Any suggestions on how to spend the extra day?" Mac asks.

"Well, there's the Science Center and Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame on the lakeshore. If you don't mind a little drive, Cedar Point is in Sandusky. School's not out yet so there shouldn't be too big of a crowd."

"Ooh, can we go, Mac?" Stella's face lights up at the mention of the amusement park.

He glances at her. "We'll see. It was nice working with you," he shakes the man's hand, and she does the same.

As they climb into the rental car, she begins to beg. "Come on, Mac. It'll be fun."

He looks at her, making a terrible mistake. Finding he is unable to resist, he gives in. "All right."

**Smile**

"Get up, sleepyhead. We have to get there early so we can ride everything," she enters his room through the adjoining door, already dressed.

"Someone had a little too much coffee this morning," he mumbles, rolling over to look at her. "Why everything?"

"Because it's fun. But you wouldn't know fun if it bit you in the - "

"Stel, have you ever been to an amusement park before?" he suddenly questions, realizing why she could be so childish at times.

"Once."

"You were a seriously deprived child."

"I know. And you're not going to stand in the way of a good time, are you, Mac?"

"Of course not," he gets out of bed as she starts his coffee for him.

When he is dressed, the two go to the breakfast buffet provided by the hotel and have a light meal. They then get in the car and begin the drive.

As they park, Mac gulps, seeing all the large rides. "Are you sure about this?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she looks at him. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no, everything's fine," he says while walking to the ticket window. "I'll pay for this. You can get lunch and dinner, okay?"

"_It starts in my toes_

_And I crinkle my nose_

_Wherever it goes_

_I always know_

_That you make me smile_

_Please stay for a while now_

_Just take your time_

_Wherever you go"_

"Mac," she frowns at his hands, "are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. How bad can it be? It just goes up and down," he says more to himself than her. The Blue Streak takes off, and his grip on the bar tightens.

"That one next," she says as they get off, pointing to the Raptor.

"You want me to go on that? Stella, I barely got through up and down on top of the track. I can't do loops and hanging from the track," he stops in the entrance.

"You're not that old," she grabs his arm and pulls him up to the loading area.

The attendant ushers them into a seat near the front and straps them it. "Have fun," he presses the button.

"I hate roller coasters," the older detective admits as they take off.

"You'll be fine," she places a hand over his, which calms him slightly.

He is relieved when the ride jerks to a stop back in the control station. "Don't make me go again."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she follows him out. "We didn't have to come here."

"You wanted to. I couldn't let you down."

"If I had known, I wouldn't have insisted we come." She leads him to the turnpike car track. "Come on. It's not a roller coaster. I'll even let you drive."

He slides into a blue car, and she joins him. "You must think I'm a wimp."

"Mac, how could I think that? You fought as a Marine."

"Can I make a bargain?"

"Sure."

"I'll go on any coaster that doesn't go upside down if you go on the bumper cars with me."

Smiling, she agrees. "Let's ride that spinny thing."

After Calypso is over, the two stumble to the other side of the entrance. "What's in there?" he points to a large gray building.

"I don't know. Let's go see." They walk all the way through to the loading area inside the building. Glancing at each other, they climb in. "What is this ride?"

"Disaster Transport," the attendant says. "It's a roller coaster in the dark." Before they can say anything, she presses the button.

"_The rain is falling on my window pane_

_But we are hiding in a safer place_

_Under covers staying safe and warm_

_You give me feelings that I adore"_

"That wasn't so bad. It didn't seem very much like a roller coaster," Mac says as they get off. "Oh, can we ride that?" Maxair, a gigantic swinging and spinning circle, is loading.

Uneasily she agrees, believing that since he is learning to face his fear, she can survive this ride. As soon as the pendulum begins to swing, she tightly shuts her eyes until the ride stops. "Mac, how can you like that and not roller coasters? You're suspended almost upside down longer there than on any roller coaster."

He doesn't have an answer for her as they enter a car on the Scrambler. Centrifugal force pulls them both to the outside of the cart as the ride speeds up. "Stel, you're squishing me," he complains.

"Get over it," she smirks. Next comes the Matterhorn, where he takes his revenge and squishes her.

Then the two decide to ride Wild Cat, an old, compact, metal coaster. "I can handle this," he says eagerly. Coming off, however, he is less enthusiastic. "If it hadn't been so jerky it would've been fine."

"You're not going to complain about every single one, are you?" She points to the Iron Dragon. "Let's ride this one while we're over here, then we can go back to the bumper cars.

He stops on the stairs to the entrance. "Are you sure it doesn't go upside down?"

"Yes."

"I'd rather not hang again." She glares at him. "And it's over water. What if it falls off?"

"You're riding it," she grabs his arm and pulls him. "No matter what."

As they exit he is smiling. "That one was actually fun. Except I couldn't see where we were going; the seats up front were in the way."

"We can ride again and sit in the very front."

"No," he quickly declines. "Let's go to the bumper cars."

Once inside, he chooses a green car while she takes a red. "You're going to lose, Taylor."

"Are you sure?" his car starts moving straight for her, but she moves at the last moment, and he slams into the wall.

She circles around, catching up and hitting him from behind. "See?"

Mac takes her bait and traps her into a corner, running into her head on. "Now who's winning?"

"Weren't you ever taught not to hit girls?"

This stops him but only for a moment, and the game continues.

"_They start in my toes_

_Make me crinkle my nose_

_Wherever it goes_

_I always know_

_That you make me smile_

_Please stay for a while now_

_Just take your time_

_Wherever you go"_

"I presume you have problems with heights," Mac says as they start to climb up the Power Tower.

"You were a Marine, and you're afraid of the amusement park."

"I'm not afraid of heights. We work on the thirty-fifth floor, Stel."

"I just don't like being this high up in something like this. In a building, you're completely safe unless you jump out the window." She points to the Dragster, "After this, we're riding that."

"Can we save that until a little later?"

"You just go up and back down. It can't be that bad."

"I'll ride it. But can we work our way up first and gradually go higher?"

She looks disappointed. "Okay."

"Hey, I never said I wouldn't ride it. And next we'll ride that big red one." As he tries to point, they drop, and she lets out a scream, shocked. He laughs, "I guess I know how to scare you now."

The ride is soon over, and they head toward the Magnum XL-200. "Wow, it even has a tunnel. You're sure you'll voluntarily ride this one?"

"I'm not as scared any more. Plus this one doesn't go upside down." The two are strapped in, and the coaster starts up the hill.

Halfway up she notices his knuckles are white. Slowly she takes his hand. "It will be fine, Mac. You can loosen up a little."

He takes a hand off the bar and grips hers tightly. "I'm having second thoughts." She laughs lightly, and suddenly they rush downward.

"Okay, we'll ride the Gemini, then that big wooden one over there, and the map shows a smaller one in between. After those, we'll eat lunch. Then we can go on the water rides."

"All wooden? So they can't be too exciting."

"Which color do we want to go on?" she asks.

"What? There are two?"

Stella glances at him. "Yeah, like the name says. You know, the twins?"

"Oh. You can pick."

"Blue then."

"Do we have to ride again on the red?"

"No. They should go side-by-side and race."

Mac's phone rings. "It's Danny."

"Call him back later. We're busy."

Chuckling, he puts it away. "He'd be jealous."

"_What am I gonna say_

_When you make me feel this way_

_I just… mmm"_

"I'm through with wooden coasters. They're just too bumpy and jerky," Mac says after riding both Mean Streak and Cedar Creek Mine Ride.

"That's good," she consults the map. "We've only got four coasters left and none of them are wooden."

"What now?"

"I'm kinda hungry."

"We can stop for lunch, then we'll go on the water rides. It's getting kind of hot."

They find a stand and each get a burger and water, deciding to split a large order of fries. After they get their food, they find a small table nearby to sit at. She watches the people walk by them. "People come to these places just for fun?"

"Yeah. Normally kids."

"Are there a lot of these places?"

He shrugs, "There are Disney and Universal in Orlando that many people visit. And there's another Disney in California. Around us there are not too many big ones."

They both reach for a fry at the same time, and their hands brush. "Sorry," she pulls back, looking away.

When they're finished eating, they begin walking toward the log ride. "Ooh, there are more cars," he points.

"You want to ride them? It's only one o'clock."

"Sure."

"But I get to drive this time," she smiles as they get in line.

Once they are inside their antique car and have started moving, he looks over at her. "I am really enjoying this, Stel."

"Me driving this car?"

"No," he laughs. "Spending the day with you. And here of all places. I'm glad you convinced me to take you."

"Thank you, Mac. I know it was a childish idea, and I appreciate you doing this."

"It's been fun, roller coasters and all."

"So you aren't afraid of them any more?" Stella turns to face him.

"They're not as bad as I – Duck!"

"What?" she looks back at the track. A duck has chosen to cross in front of them. She takes her foot off the pedal, and the car stops a foot from the bird.

They begin laughing. "Who knew they made these rides so realistic?"

"_And it starts in my toes_

_Makes me crinkle my nose_

_Wherever it goes_

_I always know_

_That you make me smile_

_Please stay for a while now_

_Just take your time_

_Wherever you go"_

"Snake River Falls," he reads off the sign. "You may get wet."

"Those must be some big trees they made the carts out of."

Smirking, he slides in next to her. "Stel, they're plastic. Most places make the outside look like a log."

"Oh. And all it does is go up and back down?"

"A good way to cool off. Most log rides have one or two little hills you go up and down before a big one. And you float down the path for a while. Disney has a big one about… some rabbit. I can't remember the story really."

"Here we go," she says, tightening her grip.

Down they go, not getting too wet until they get on the other side of the bridge where the water splashed up hits them from behind.

"Well, I guess we might as well get the other one over with so we're not soaked twice."

The pair quickly gets through the line of the raft ride and becomes situated in the raft with a family of five. "I guess you've been on the log ride," the mother says.

"Who knew you could get so wet on one of those."

"You've never been here?"

Stella shakes her head. "We're from New York. We came here following a suspect in our case and had an extra day before going back."

"You'll only get wetter on this one. Water falls off the canyon edges on both sides," the father says.

The raft starts off by going down a small hill into rapids. She grabs his hand. "Now who's scared?" he whispers as water splashes inside.

"I am not. I just don't want to fall out… I can't swim," she admits.

He shakes his head at her, "I won't let you drown." Suddenly water falls onto them, making the kids laugh. However, the raft turns, the water now hitting them.

By the end of the ride, they are, if possible, even wetter than before. After saying goodbye to the family and wringing their clothes, they head off.

The mother whispers to her husband, "What a cute couple. Why can't we be like them?"

"We have kids," he replies.

"_I've been asleep for a while now_

_You tuck me in just like a child now_

'_Cause every time you hold me in your arms_

_I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth"_

"Ninety-five degree angle drop?" he studies the coaster. "Does it go upside down?"

"It can't go upside down more than that other one we rode. And we lived, didn't we?" she grabs his arm to drag him in.

"I'm coming. Just remember that I have the ability to fire you when we get back."

"You wouldn't do that," she leans against him while they wait.

"And why wouldn't I?"

"Because you'd have to train a new CSI, and I know how much you love to do that."

"Yeah, you were hard enough," Mac teases.

"You ready to ride the Maverick?" the attendant straps them in and plays the tape of rules and warnings that they had become accustomed to. The coaster takes off down the red track and begins the climb.

"I think that was the best one so far," she says as they walk past a big blue track.

"We didn't ride that one, did we?"

"Nope. But we will after we ride that red and yellow one."

As they get closer, he asks, "Are those people standing up?"

She looks up when another set of cars goes by. "I think so."

"And it goes upside down. I don't think that's very safe."

"Fine. You can wait here while I ride it."

A little boy just barely tall enough to ride enters before her with his father.

"Stel, wait," he catches up to her.

"You don't trust me to go alone?"

"No, I do. I just don't want you to get scared."

Stella hits his chest. "What if your kids ever want to ride a roller coaster?"

"I don't have any kids. And I don't think I'll be having any soon. But since you like them so much, I'll make sure I bring you with me if I ever have kids."

"Your wife might get jealous," she points out, pulling the safety bar over her shoulders.

"Claire was jealous of you at first. I understand why: you're beautiful and smart and I spent more time with you than her," he reveals. "But once she met you a couple times, she knew we weren't anything but good friends."

As they begin moving toward the hill of the Mantis, she looks away, not sure how to feel. Before they drop, he takes her hand.

Something had changed between them without Claire there. She wasn't sure how much longer they could go on without addressing it. And she wasn't sure how it'd turn out for the two of them.

"_It starts in my soul_

_And I lose all control_

_When you kiss my nose_

_The feeling shows_

'_Cause you make me smile, baby_

_Just take your time now_

_Holding me tight"_

"Forty minutes wait," Mac says as they get in line for the Millennium Force.

"You sound disappointed. Actually want to ride this one?"

"No loops or flips. And we've done tunnels already so… it's just taller than the others."

She looks down at their still intertwined fingers, "Danny and Don are never going to believe that you were scared of roller coasters."

"You better not."

Her eyes twinkle, "Oh, I will."

"I'll tell them about your fear of spiders then." She lets go of his hand. "We're in agreement."

Thirty-eight minutes later he brushes up against her as they wait for the next car. "You're dry."

"And you aren't?"

"Not quite. They're going to know we didn't spend all day in a lab," he touches her shoulder. "Or at least you since you like to test the dress code."

They climb in and begin the journey to the top. When they reach the top, he kisses her cheek and puts his arm around her shoulders. She remains close to him the whole ride and doesn't feel him tighten up at all.

"See? It's fun, isn't it?" she smiles as they get off.

He smiles back, glad she didn't mention the kiss. "When I don't have to be scared of falling out."

The couple enters the line for the Top Thrill Dragster. "This is it," Stella watches the other cars take off in their hour wait. However, she isn't paying much attention to them; instead she is thinking about the kiss. Sure, she had kissed him many times before, all to thank him for being a good friend. She never really thought about it; she just did it. But never had he kissed her. Mac just wasn't like that. Sometimes he'd hug her if he thought she needed it, but never more.

"Having second thoughts?" Mac nudges her forward in line.

"Why did you kiss me?" she softly asks.

He hesitates, "To thank you for teaching me to face my fears." She accepts the answer, knowing he is still hiding something. As they get to the boarding station, he starts to get nervous. "I'm not so sure about this."

"It'll be fine," she squeezes his hand and tries to hide her own building fears. "It's only, what? … forty-five seconds?"

They get in and move up to wait for their go. "Stel?" he whispers.

"Yeah, Mac?" her voice shakes.

"Just in case we don't get through this… I want you to know that…" he pauses. She can't find her voice in order to tell him that they'll be okay. "I want you to know that… I love you."

The lights turn on, and they race over and up at one hundred and twenty miles per hour. Less than a minute later they're waiting to unload the coaster.

"_Wherever, wherever, wherever you go_

_Wherever, wherever, wherever you go"_

To get to the exit faster, they decide to take the Skyride across. Stella is slightly uneasy suspended in the air, but he doesn't want to move next to her for fear of the car dipping on her side. "Why don't you like heights?"

"When I was nine or ten, my foster parents took their son and another foster girl and me to a little amusement park for younger kids who couldn't ride stuff like this," she gestures out the window. "They sent the three of us up on this enormous ferris wheel. It stopped with us at the very top to let other people on. He wouldn't stay sitting. Intentionally he'd move around and jump to rock the cart. We couldn't get him to stop so we sat there, holding each other until it was finally over."

He tries to stay still so as not to rock the cart. While she looks out the window, he slowly leans forward to take her hands. "I meant… what I said earlier. I do love you, Stel."

She shakes her head gently, "We can't, Mac."

"Says who?"

"You're my boss. We'd get in trouble at work. Sinclair would have a reason to fire you. Or me. Besides, we'd lose our friendship."

"Without you, my life would be boring. I believe that because our friendship is so strong, we could have a lasting romantic relationship. You're my best friend; I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he pauses. "And screw Sinclair. If fires either of us, the police department will have to replace everyone in the lab."

She looks down at their hands, curls falling into her face. Mac gently tucks the hair behind her ear. "I don't know."

They arrive at the other loading zone and get out of the cart, heading to the parking lot. "You can trust me," he says as they get in the rental car.

"I do."

**Smile**

Mac pokes his head into her room. "You set to go in the morning?"

"Yep."

Cautiously he enters and sits beside her on the bed. "I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to push you. And maybe you're not interested."

Awkwardly she hugs him, face buried in his shoulder. She mumbles something, but he can't make it out.

"All I want is for you to be happy. Today I realized how much I enjoy being with you. You taught me to face my fears, and I hope you'll follow that advice," he rubs her back. "I know love hasn't been easy for you, but if you can find it in you to love me, I'll do my best to return it. If you don't like me, please let me know, Stel."

She sniffles and raises her head. Timidly she places her lips on his in a somewhat wet kiss. "I love you too," she whispers in Greek, her arms still around him.

He wipes the tears from her cheeks before admitting, "I have no idea what you said."

"Sorry," she blushes, having forgotten he couldn't understand her. "I… I love you too."

He falls back on the bed, taking her with him. "You'll always be the most important person in my life."

Content, she rests her head on his chest. "Thank you for making me realize I need to face my fears and move on."

"I have no intentions of harming you," he assures, running his hands through her curls. "We'll take things slowly."

"I want to be open about this when we get back. But I want to keep work separate from us," she scoots closer.

"Deal."

She kisses him again. "You're a wonderful guy, Mac."

"And you're an extraordinary woman that I feel in love with."

"_Wherever you go_

_I always know_

'_Cause you make me smile_

_Even just for a while"_

**A/N: I had to use somewhere close to me that I had at least been to so that's why they're in Ohio. I know on YouTube they had videos of the roller coasters... or most of them so if you want to check that out... maybe some other rides too. I was going to have Stella be the one afraid of roller coasters, but right before I started writing I changed my mind... it'd be funnier if Mac was. ****I got my laptop... I like it... but I have the 2007 programs for microsoft and they are so different than the what's on the other computer. And the games are different too... I have chess and I've played at least twenty games... and lost all but like two. Have any of you seen the latest version of Beowulf? I was watching it the other day and my mom kept asking me whether I wanted to go up and recycle the paper with her and I missed something... did Grendel's mother turn into the dragon? 'Cause that's what I thought happened, then she was still there at the end. It doesn't really matter since it doesn't happen in the book... but if you happen to know... I'd appreciate it. What else... we spent the last two days spring cleaning... don't know why we didn't do it in the spring. I guess that's all I have to say for now. My next story will be about Mac being jealous of Stella's new boyfriend who is a defense lawyer. They fight a lot... well, Mac fights with both of them. I'll probably start that one Sunday and try to update every other day... it's ten chapters. I hope you guys will send me reviews... I think this is one of my favorite stories that I've written. Thanks for reading.**


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